Incredible India!

I'm struggling writing this post because I don't fully understand what all has been happening around me or within me. I'm learning the paradoxical way of living that is India. The people are direct and honest, yet they would rather tell you to come back tomorrow as their way of telling you no. I am met with a friendly greeting in English from one on the street, yet I am met by the next person scolding me with no words to match my greeting in Telugu. The language is not tonal, yet if I say the same thing as someone else with a slightly different enunciation on a syllable, people go from not understanding me at all to making perfect sense. As a person, I enjoy learning rules that I can apply to put people in a box and to have consistency and a sense of control. Everyday this paradigm of my life is getting shaken and undoes what I've learned previously.

Needless to say, I'm beginning to simply let go of everything I'm used to "knowing." I meet each person with no preconceptions and an open mind about every situation I walk into.  I've had to choose to do this otherwise I have found myself becoming frustrated and having the urge to leave this place and just pass judgment on everything about this country.

We had 12 village pastor's that ended up coming in for the training school. The spirit moved upon all of us every day and night. The people were taught an overview of the bible, practicing the presence of God, what missions looks like, faith and finances, what love looks like, connecting to God's heart, signs and wonders, being released into the prophetic, and many more. Oh and great dancing!




Almost every single one of the pastor's was touched by God a number of times and had different visions or encounters of seeing Jesus or dreams for their future being unlocked.

Some of the girls that are here with me prophetically painted for each one of the pastors as a gift. They had yet to have ever painted like this and all of the pastor's were undone with these gifts.

Right after the school we had an engagement party to go to which was a wonderful way to see more of the culture.



We left for an eight day village outreach after the school. The day we were supposed to leave ended up being the same day as a massive shutdown of the region due to political factions and there were riots all along where we would be. We went out the next day completely unknowing what we would be walking (or driving) into.

After ten hours of fun family time and high hopes we arrived at the first village for the night. That night set a precedent for the rest of the trip. We were honored in more ways that I can bear to write down and it shifted many things in my heart. The food we had was incomparable to anywhere and we never had to worry about going hungry. Apparently if you ask for a little, that gives them the impression that you want a huge heaping again and again. I'm grateful for my iron stomach and fast metabolism.

In the morning we stepped into stories from the bible for the next week. We saw people healed of intestinal problems, back pains, migraines, partial blindness, paralysis of multiple limbs, the pastor's and congregation getting refreshed and a number of other things that I can't put into words on here but would love to share individually.

We had lots of great experiences with the kids everywhere we went and I'm continually learning more from them than I could ever offer to teach.



We heard continuously how the people there feel they are unwanted, unknown, and forgotten about from the rest of humanity as no one comes to visit them. We were the first white people that had ventured to a lot of these places and many Indians don't dare to go where we did. I met several people that had no idea that America is another country. It truly is a different world.

Upon return from our trip, a couple of us ventured to the Joy House (http://thejoyhouse.myshopify.com), which is a kids home. I have been wanting to visit this place for the past almost two years since it's been open. I had no idea when I came here that I would be so close to this place. It truly was another dream come true to visit and play with all the children.

Now that you made it past my rants, enjoy the pictures!

 

Filled with Awe

The past month has been a whirlwind of activity and adventure.

Like the last post, we're sticking to the bullet style to highlight events. It's oh so much more fun to shoot out all the glorious things that have happened and I can expand should you ever want more.

As a team we headed to Khon Kaen in Isan, the northeast region of Thailand. It's here where the majority of those individuals that go into the sex trade around Thailand originate from.

Here's some of what happened in the villages we went to:

• Worshipped at various people's houses 
• Random villagers stopped by to receive healing and then wanted to know more about who Jesus was and gave their life over to Him
• Multiple baptisms of children and adults
• Learned some Thai dancing (finally!)
• Met some of the local christians, one of which had been healed from being paralyzed for over 8 years and previously had just sat on mats, who now were completely healed and had full function over their bodies
• Prayed over a dying man, who once we left entered into heaven. Normally death is a tragic event in the villages, however we were informed this was a peaceful transition and the man had just come to know Jesus the previous week.
• Loved on people and children in different ways from just holding and hugging people to having children's programs
• Held church services and I was able to share a couple of short messages and we had lots of testimonies from the villagers
• Saw monkeys. Scary little buggers!
• Temporarily received a ring from an elderly gentlemen who wanted to give me a blessing
• Visited an ancient hindu temple built by Cambodians which housed routine sacrifices and built on a volcano

One story worth noting is one of the men that randomly stopped by to listen to worship and eventually was healed of bad stomach issues gave His life over to Christ. During the process he revealed to us all of his tattoos which were all of the different gods he had worshipped but he chose to give up as this is the only one that has ever been powerful and loving in his life.

We also went to a children's home and stayed with them for a few nights and were able to prophesy to the kids and pray with the pastor. We also had a great night of worship in their local language.

My beard has gotten more attention than I could ever have dreamed. It's a great conversation peace and I've learned to embrace being talked about and not just because I'm a farang (foreigner in the most "polite" of terms…not).

I had met a businessman when I first arrived in Bangkok that invited me to his place in Chiang Rai. He is burmese and told me lots of history on all that the tribes from there have gone through. Myself and one other went to his place to visit. We stayed at the most scenic location that I've nearly ever been to and we received the royal treatment. 

• Lived with elephants parading around the property
• Played takraw (a local game similar to hacky sack)
• Prayed and prophesied to those we were with
• Enjoyed time with a local family
• Went to a festival and saw Muay Thai (boxing), dancing, and lots of gambling which was sad to witness as it often ends in excess
• Prayed around the city at different sites
• Visited the local coffee house he runs
• Met local backpackers from around the world and able to pray with them
• Visited some hot springs which was interesting as it's already quite hot in Thailand
• Saw large snakes that weighed around 50kg
• Discussed different businesses

The Karen tribe from Burma, which those we stayed with were from, freely interact and live with each other. Every family will gladly receive any person, whether they are from their own family, tribe, or country. We went into a house and they all warmly greeted us and provided us with food, drink, and there were plenty of massages going around with a warm fire and lots of laughter.

Our next step was over to Chiang Mai to go to the Loi Krathong festival of lanterns. We were able to connect with some friends of friends that hosted us and we were extremely blessed to be with them. 

We went on a motorcycle ride up in the mountains and had the most amazing time seeing the beauty of Thailand. 

To see the festival we engaged in a round-trip 70km bicycle ride through the busy streets of body to body people to finally get to where people all launched off these lanterns that people make wishes on and also launch them off for the removal of their anger and other wrong emotions in the buddhist beliefs. 

Since then, I have arrived in India. It is unlike anything I could ever imagine. I've been able to reconnect with some of the most amazing people I have ever met and have been making great new friendships as well. 

We all live in the same house and will be doing ministry together which will be through a number of different outlets which I'll expand on as it unfolds, but will include some and more of the following: children's home, starting businesses, feeding the poor, raising up pastors,  and going into the unreached villages.

Next week we will be hosting and teaching a tribal pastor's conference which will be equipping them to go out into the remote villages that are all around India to share the good news and release love wherever they go. 

The week afterwards we will be going into one of these remote villages. Please be praying for safety as these are places that are not exactly where you would look for going on vacation. We will likely be some of the first white people to go into these places. I'd be more than willing to share more with you, but it would have to be over Skype or some other source for a variety of reasons.

Life just keeps getting more and more interesting. I feel so honored to be able to see the world in the way I am and to share Truth and Love in its purest form. 

I want to share one last story with you that I heard from the man I stayed with in Chiang Mai. There is a story told among the Karen tribe of the Burmese people that they are the older brother of westerners and others across the world. They see that there will be an eventual return of the younger more naive brother, myself included. The younger brother has been out exploring the world hoping to find life in success defined as riches, conquering lands, the romance of adventure, rank, material possessions, all the things that the west defines as things to live and strive for. However, what the younger brother finally learns is that the things worth living for were always back at home: family, community, and love. I have found a new expression of love and family that I never knew existed; however, I can never leave behind. Let me forever be a changed man.

And now here's a fun picture of the toilet and shower. Be love. 

First Experiences in Thailand

I've been in Bangkok for about 10 days so far and it already feels like home. I have my favorite street vendors to go to for fresh smoothies, my preferred 7-11 to hit up, and I'm able to ride the sky train like the best of them.

Rather than go through everything in excruciating detail, I'll simply highlight some of the things that have been going on.

• Visited the Old City and saw a number of buddhist temples and sacred sites
• Went on an outreach at night near the red light district and saw a couple of healing's and salvations and faced a bit of persecution which was more fun than anything
• Seen the largest market in southeast asia, J.J.'s, which is more of a labyrinth than anything
• Eaten some of the most amazing foods I have ever had in my life and burned my mouth in the process
• Worshiped on the top of a skyscraper
• Met with a ministry that helps to relocate girls out of prostitution
• Prayed with lady boys that are employed at a coffee house ministry (lady boys are often men whom either believe they are women trapped in a male body or have been raised by their family to believe that they are a woman)
• Connected with the Iris Ministries team that is currently long-term in Bangkok

For about the past two weeks, God has really been highlighting India to me. As such, I'll be traveling there starting the 19th, so long as my visa all comes back by then. 

At church, I had a man come up to me and invite some of us to come to his village and his wife's village whom there are no christians at and to use his bungalows and motorcycles to travel around these remote tribes and share the good word. Needless to say, reaching the unreached is precisely what I'm wanting to do and am planning on going with a few guys to the Karen people just after our trip to Isan.

Now for some of the fun things that I've been eating of since my last blog post: dog (while the head was looking back at me), pig heart, frog, dragon fruit (which is now one of my favorite foods!), and I'm currently on the lookout for some insects which I've been told will be easy to find once we travel up north.

I'll keep you all posted on more adventures as they come to pass.  Until then, enjoy the pics!